Attachment for knitting machines



28, 1936. J. WACHSMAN ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 30, 1955 Jilcob WN/mman/ INVENTOR Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for supporting stop mechanisms used with circular knitting machines in which the yarns or threads pass from spools to the stop mechanisms and then to the knitting mechanism. The stop mechanisms being under the control of the travelling thread such as is well understood in the art. Inasmuch as knitting machines operate with a widely varyingnumber of spools and are installed in many different kinds of places or rooms, it becomes a problem how to support and mount the stop mechanisms in such a manner that perfect cooperation with the knitting machine is obtained and that provision be made for accessibility to the mechanisms for purposes of replacing broken yarns or threads or when the yarn runs out. Another factor to be taken into consideration is that stop mechanisms should be so supported and placed so that the runs from the several spools to the knitting mechanism be of equal length. Even a slight difference in the lengths of the runs of the yarns is objectionable.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved attachment for the support of stop mechanisms for knitting machines so arranged and constructed that all the stop mechanisms may be mounted in a single horizontal plane and spaced so as to facilitate replacement of broken yarns or when a yarn runs out and whereby the runs of the yarns be of equal lengths. Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting attachment adapted to support the stop mechanisms in the proper relation with reference to the spools so that the runs of the yarns are free from entanglements.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my Patent No. 2,013,529.

Inthe drawing accompanying this specification:

Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of a circular knitting machine equipped with the improved attachment, parts being omitted and parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the attachments in position supporting the stop mechanisms, each attachment in this instance supporting three stop mechanisms.

Fig. 3 shows a single attachment arranged to support two stop mechanisms.

In the drawing the reference numeral I denotes the centrally disposed vertical rotatable shaft of a circular knitting machine which is otherwise diagrammatically indicated by the broken portion 2. The shaft l carries a plurality of radial arms 3 and the spools of yarns 4 are mounted on the outer ends of the arms 3. The

machine is equipped with stop mechanisms 5 of the type disclosed in the aforesaid application to which reference is made for a detailed disclosure. The yarns 6 pass from the spools upward to the stop mechanisms where the yarns 5: rest upon the operating arms 29 of the stop mechanism and then down to the knitting machine itself. The run of each yarn may be and preferably is led through a suitable tensioning device at l and a suitable guide at 8.

The stop mechanisms 5 must be supported as far away from the spools as possible and practicable for each machine because thereby the runs of the yarn are made longer and are more easily manipulated free from entanglements. The mechanisms must also be supported in the same horizontal plane to insure equality in the lengths of the yarns. They must be spaced at less radial distance from the shaft I than the spools because the upward run of each yarn must be inclined inwardly or the stop mechanism may not operate properly and they must be spaced with relation to each other in such a manner that the yarns do not become entangled and so that replacement of a broken yarn is made easy. This last requirement is rather an important one because when a yarn breaks or runs out, it is replaced by the operator by means of a long forked stick which enables the operator to place a loop of the yarn upon the stopmechanism. If these latter are not spaced so as to facilitate such replacement, much time is lost and other troubles may occur. Another requirement is that the stop mechanisms must be so positioned that the run of the yarn upon the arms 20- is substantially in a radial direction with reference to the central shaft I.

The supporting attachment according to this invention fulfills the requirements as to the proper spacing and arrangement of the stop mechanisms.

Figure 2 illustrates a plurality of attachments arranged to support three stop mechanisms each or a total of twenty-four stop mechanisms, one for each spool. Some knitting machines operate with as many as forty-eight spools which' of course makes it still more necessary that the stop mechanisms be supported in accordance with the above stated requirements.

Each attachment consists of a radially disposed bracket I0 which is bent at its outer end at 2| in the form of a 2 so as to support one stop mechanism I l in offset relation to the arm. To the outer end of said bracket I0 is secured an extension l2 also bent in Z-form whereby to support another stop mechanism l3 in like ofiset relation to the bracket corresponding to that of the stop mechanism II. The bracket itself supports a third mechanism [4. All'the attachments are secured to a central supporting 'member I5 adapted to be secured to the knitting machine shaft I as shown in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the stop mechanisms are all supported in the same horizontal plane; that they are spaced substantially equidistantly upon the attachments and that the supporting unit, comprising the brackets I0 and the central member I5, is arranged with relation to the spools to provide for the proper inclination of the yarns upwardly from the spools and to provide ample space for each yarn for the purposes set forth. It will further be noted that each attachment is so arranged that the stop mechanisms may be mounted upon either side of the attachment brackets and extension but facing in the same direction to facilitate the replacement of the yarns upon the arms 20, and that the arrangement is such that the run of the yarn through the stop mechanisms as indicated by the dotted lines 25 is substantially in a radial direction with reference to the central shaft I.

Figure 3 illustrates an attachment of another form in which the bracket 26 supports two stop mechanisms 5 in like operative positions as described above.

In Figure 1 the details of the construction of each attachment has been omitted for the sake of clearness and only two spools 4 are shown. It will however, be understood by those skilled in the art that the knitting machine is provided with twenty-four spools and twenty-four tensioning devices l, or there would not be twenty-four stop mechanisms such as shown in Figure 2. However, the fact that there is a stop mechanism for each spool of yarn is well known in the art.

I claim:

1. An attachment for supporting a plurality of stop mechanisms in a knitting machine comprising a main supporting arm having one of its ends bent first at an angle to the arm and then bent in the opposite direction to form an end portion substantially parallel to the arm, a Z-shaped extension secured to the said main supporting arm to form a second end portion opposed to and corresponding to the said first named end portion, all portions of the said attachment being in a single horizontal plane and stop mechanisms secured to the said arm and end portions.

2. In a knitting machine a central shaft, means for supporting a plurality of stop mechanisms on said shaft comprising a central supporting member secured to the shaft, a plurality of attachments secured to said central supporting member in spaced circumferential relation, each of said attachments consisting of an arm secured to said central supporting member in radial relation to said shaft, each of said arms being bent in a predetermined manner to support a plurality of stop mechanisms in substantially equidistantly spaced relation and in the same horizontal plane.

JACOB WACI-ISMAN. 

